HARTFORD, Conn. – Katie Yocum (Hanover, Pa./South Western) etched her name in the Kutztown record books Thursday afternoon, tying the program's single-game goal record with eight tallies to lead No. 20 Kutztown past No. 22 Saint Anselm, 21-15, at USJ Lacrosse Field.
Yocum was unstoppable from the opening draw, netting six goals in the first half alone before adding two in the final frame. Her eight-goal performance ties recent graduate
Sam Graf's (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) mark, set in 2025 against Millersville.
The Golden Bears (3-1) and Hawks (1-1) battled evenly through the first 30 minutes, trading goals in a high-scoring affair. Both teams scored five in the opening quarter and five more in the second to enter halftime deadlocked at 10-10.
Kutztown seized momentum in the third quarter with a decisive 4-1 run.
Sammy Ruwet (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional) sparked the surge four and a half minutes into the frame, followed by back-to-back goals from
Maddie Wagner (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) and
Sophie Engelhardt (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley).
Madison Wenner (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) capped the quarter with the Bears' fourth goal, sending Kutztown into the final period with a 14-11 advantage.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Golden Bears, who exploded for seven goals while holding Saint Anselm to four to pull away for the 21-15 victory.
Yocum's record-tying performance headlined a balanced offensive attack. Wagner recorded a career-high five goals, while Engelhardt and
Lauren LaMorte (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) each netted hat tricks. Ruwet and Wenner rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece.
The Bears' ball movement was exceptional, with more than half of Kutztown's goals coming off assists. LaMorte orchestrated the offense with five helpers, tying for sixth most in a single game in program history. Her five assists combined with Yocum's eight goals gave each player eight points on the day, tied for eighth in program history.
Beyond the scorers, standouts emerged across the field. Reigning PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week
Rowan Hall (Sloatsburg, N.Y./Suffern) dominated the draw circle with a career-high and game-high eight draw controls. Defensively,
Summer Davis (Beach Haven, N.J./Southern Regional) and
Alexis Plesic (Hanover, Pa./South Western) each forced five turnovers, while Davis collected five ground balls and Plesic added four.
The Golden Bears peppered the net with 41 shots compared to Saint Anselm's 23 and controlled the ground ball battle, scooping up 25 to the Hawks' 14, including eight in the fourth quarter alone.
The victory marks Kutztown's first ranked win of the season and second ranked matchup overall. The Golden Bears conclude their spring break road trip Saturday at Bentley with a noon start.
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